Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 3, 1912

File No. 895.52/11.

The American Ambassador to the Secretary of State.

No. 86.]

American Embassy,
Tokyo, June 14, 1912.

Sir: Referring to the Embassy’s despatch No. 1295¹ of February 7, 1911, in regard to the rights of American citizens claiming title to land in Chosen (Korea), with which were enclosed notes exchanged with the Foreign Office on the subject, I have the honor to transmit, in duplicate, a copy of a despatch No. 3582E. of June 7, 1912, from the Consul-General at Seoul, enclosing a circular² issued on that day to foreign owners of land and their agents by the Land Investigation Committee of the Government-General at Seoul.

I would respectfully call the Department’s attention to the provisions of the first paragraph of the circular, entitled “Matters to be paid attention to by Foreign Land-Owners,” which is as follows:

Land-owners shall present reports of their lands or copies of consular registrations of their lands directly to the Land Investigation Bureau or officials of the same office. It is better for them to send reports of their lands than to send copies of Consular registrations.

The investigation into land titles which is now being conducted by the office of the Government-General at Seoul is of great interest to American citizens resident in Korea, many of whom are land owners.

Inasmuch as the provisions of the first paragraph did not seem to be in accord with the assurance that Consular registrations would be considered as prima facie evidence of title, which was expressed in Count Komura’s note of February 4, 1911, a copy of which was enclosed with the Embassy despatch of February 7, 1911, herein referred to, I today addressed a note to the Foreign Office referring to the circular and requesting that the probative value contemplated in Count Komura’s note be accorded registrations of land from the archives of the American Consulate-General at Seoul. I beg to enclose a copy of this note.

I have [etc.]

Charles Page Bryan.

[Inclosure 1.]

The Consul General at Seoul to the American Ambassador.

No. 3582 E.]

American Consulate General,
Seoul, June 7, 1912.

Sir: Referring to my letter of December 9, 1910, (No. 1754), addressed to Mr. Schuyler,¹ and to Mr. O’Brien’s reply thereto, of February 7, 1911, (C. No. 1514),² relating to the investigation of lands by the Government of Chosen, I have the honor to enclose herewith circulars, which have been this day issued to foreign owners of land and their agents by the Land Investigation Committee at Seoul, containing instructions to aid in said investigation.

I have [etc.]

Geo. H. Scidmore.

[Inclosure 2.]

The American Ambassador to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

No. 54]

American Embassy,
Tokyo, June 14, 1912.

Excellency: Referring to this Embassy’s note³ of December 15, 1910, and to the reply of your excellency’s predecessor, Count Komura, of February 4, 1911,⁴ in regard to the investigation of land titles in Chosen, I have the honor to request your excellency’s attention to the circular “Matters to be paid attention to by Foreign Land-owners” which was on June 7 issued to foreign owners of land and their agents by the Land Investigation Committee of the Government-General.

The provisions of the first paragraph of this circular require that land owners shall present to the proper officials “reports” of their lands or copies of Consular registrations of their holdings, and continues, “It is better for them to send reports of their lands than to send copies of Consular regulations.”

In the note herein referred to, Count Komura assured the Embassy that the Consular registrations would, in the investigations undertaken by the Government-General, be taken as prima facie proof of the ownership of the land recorded.

I am confident that your excellency under these circumstances will take the necessary steps to the end that the records of registration from the archives of the American Consulate-General at Seoul shall be accorded the probative value contemplated in Count Komura’s note.

I avail [etc.]

Charles Page Bryan.

1. Should be 1297; see For. Rel. 1911, p. 333.
2. Not printed.
1. For. Rel. 1911, p. 328.
2. Not printed.
3. For. Rel. 1911, p. 330.
4. For. Rel. 1911, p. 333.